Member Spotlight

Lincoln Inspection Service is proud to have a legacy of employees that are committed to service. In the last 10 years 4 of the people that have retired, had more than 40 years of service. Lincoln has another employee still working with 45 years of service. Bob Machacek has had an active license since 1956. Maybe the longest active license. Bob continues to work part time, and worked over 1000 hours last year.

Agency Manager Danae Podraza is quick to mention that Lincoln has a "green" management team. Although Chris Ledy (Vice President and Chief Inspector) and Danae have each been at Lincoln for nearly 20 years, they are both new to their management roles. Danae is quick to point out that both Chris and she started with entry level positions, so they know every aspect of the operation.

Lincoln has a long history of providing service to the grain industry. The agency began when the Lincoln Grain Exchange was established in 1905 and was separated from direct operation by the grain exchange via an independent board of directors in 1979, because of changes made to the United States Grain Standards Act.

Lincoln is responsible for official inspection in Southeast Nebraska and Southwest Iowa. Headquartered in Lincoln, Nebraska, and with soon to be 15 onsite rail and 2 truck dump laboratories, about 85 percent of Lincoln’s business is railcars with the remainder being barge and truck inspections. Truck inspections are performed at two mills and an ethanol plant. Lincoln’s approximately 20 employees typically inspect corn, hard red winter wheat, soybeans, and sorghum and occasionally inspects oats and barley. Lincoln acquired and ran a designation in Texas and Southeast New Mexico from 2008 to 2016.

As for the grain inspection business, Danae finds it interesting that grain inspection is such an important part of this country and yet almost no one even thinks about its existence. People are usually surprised and full of questions when you tell them you are a grain inspector. The fact that this is a public-private partnership is also unique.

Danae believes their business will continue to slowly grow over the next few years. “We have a new 110 car facility on the verge of loading trains and I am very excited to see how new technology will come into play in our business.”

Lincoln agency prides themselves in being good to their employees because they expect so much in return, and management works hard to have a professional, yet fun, office environment – so much so that almost anyone that chooses to leave the agency, ultimately returns.